title: SPECT-CT: applications in musculoskeletal radiology.
abstract: This article reviews the technique, basic science principles and applications of integrated single photon emission CT (SPECT)-CT in musculoskeletal radiology. A review of the current evidence on the topic was undertaken, and selected clinical cases from the authors' institution have been used for illustration. SPECT-CT is a technology with emerging applications that offers technical advantages to image fusion of separately acquired SPECT and CT studies. The prevailing evidence indicates that there may be benefit in adding SPECT-CT to conventional imaging algorithms during the evaluation of some malignant and benign musculoskeletal conditions. SPECT-CT can improve both sensitivity and specificity by reducing equivocal interpretation in comparison to planar scintigraphy or SPECT alone. The evidence base for SPECT-CT in musculoskeletal radiology is still evolving. There is a lack of evidence comparing SPECT-CT with MRI in many key indications, and further research is required in these areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vijayanathan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gnanasegaran
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals